Henry hails Urney bottle

AFTER playing a starring role in Urney’s 3-1 penalty shoot-out victory over Derrytresk following a roller-coaster 3-12 to 1-18 draw after extra-time in the first round of the Junior Championship, Ryan Henry has turned his attentions to a last eight clash with Kildress this weekend, which he feels will be something of a journey into the unknown.

“It’s a tough game but with Covid-19 it’s made things different this year. In previous year’s you always had the advantage of playing a team in the league so you had a feel for what you’re coming up against,” he explained.

“But this year, they have been in group two and we’ve been in group one, so we haven’t played each other. We know names and we know about certain individuals but we’re well aware that they are managed by Roger Keenan and Tony Scullion, so they will be well organised, well drilled and well up for the game, so those are things that we can 
expect.”

At one stage on Sunday night, the St Columba’s trailed by eight points to Derrytresk, who initially made hay with a strong breeze at their backs, but the North Tyrone men’s heads didn’t drop and a late Jamie McAleer goal, followed by Johnny Lafferty’s equaliser, brought them level by the end of normal time.

“Eight points is a lot!,” Henry observed. “A wind can help you but it doesn’t win you a game. I always fancied ourselves to come back and win the second half but eight points is a lot so you just have to chip away at it.

“We know there is goals in the team and if you score 2-2 in five minutes that eight points is easy to get back!

“I don’t think we panicked but it gave us a bit of a scare.”

FULL STORY IN THURSDAY’S STRABANE CHRONCILE